Introduction
In the field of fisheries, it is commonly understood that (i) illegal catches adversely affect the sustainable utilization of fishery resources and put pressure on fishery operators, necessary measures to prevent the distribution of illegally caught fish, including their exportation, and to ensure proper domestic distribution, and that (ii) international cooperation is necessary for the elimination of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (“IUU”) fishery operations, especially with concern to highly vulnerable species. Accordingly, Japan must take measures to prevent the inflow of IUU catches from within its waters and abroad.
Against this background, the Act on Ensuring the Proper Domestic

